Oxfordshire bridge closures cause travel chaos concerns

Concerns have been raised about increased congestion in Oxfordshire ahead of the closure of three bridges.

Goring and Streatley Bridge, Manor Bridge in Didcot and Heyford Bridge in Lower Heyford are due to be closed to traffic next week.

The recent closure of Cassington Road bridge has also been causing delays between Cassington and Yarnton.

Councillor Andrew Gant said that "every single one of these works is being done for emergency reasons".

Goring and Streatley Bridge will close at 22:00 BST on 20 October and reopen at 06:00 GMT on 30 October due to Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) gas works.

Local business owners have already expressed frustration over the "detrimental" impact it could have on trade.

Manor Bridge in Didcot will be closed from 23 October until 4 December for refurbishment works, with Oxford Crescent also closing to install new drainage pipes.

Ian Snowdon, Conservative councillor for Didcot West, warned the closures would cause disruptions during half term.

"The plan is then to allow SGN to put a four-way traffic light in the Broadway Roundabout which is the most local people would have used to divert from all this traffic," he said.

"This road is already congested every day of the week, so it's going to be absolute chaos."

A spokesperson for SGN, Bradley Barlow, said that it was working to upgrade the network with "a safe and reliable gas supply".

"Our traffic management measures have been carefully planned in consultation with Oxfordshire County Council to keep everyone safe and disruption to a minimum," he added.

Heyford Bridge between Lower Heyford and Caulcott will also close for traffic on 23 October until the beginning of December for rebuilding of the road deck and drainage around the bridge.

Oxfordshire County Council said there would be pedestrian access across the bridge via the south footway.

Network Rail also closed the railway bridge between Cassingdon and Yarnton on 16 October for emergency roadworks.

It caused heavier than usual traffic in the area as the closure coincided with roadworks on Bladon Road.

Andrew Gant, councillor for highways, said: "Clearly, nobody wants to be in a situation that supply is threatened or potentially worse.

"The county council itself has a responsibility for keeping roads safe. It they are not safe, they need to be repaired."

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